Change of Command ceremony introduces new NJROTC leaders

Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps cadets stand at attention during a Change of Command Ceremony at Ramona High School on April 11. Platoon commanders, from left, are Henry Garcia, Kurt Crumbaugh and Ally Voss. New leaders accepted the positions of commanding officer, executive officer, command master chief, operations officer and community service officer. The ceremonies included a presentation of colors.

Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) cadets accepted leadership positions at the fifth annual Change of Command ceremony held at Ramona High School on April 11.

Ramona NJROTC Cmdr. Rick Jordan said the ceremony continues a rich Naval tradition of relinquishing commands with a formal passing of responsibility and authority from one officer to another.

“It provides the outgoing officers a chance to say goodbye to the officers and enlisted personnel,” said Jordan, who replaced Lt. Cmdr. Adam Birst when joining Ramona NJROTC in January. He has served nine years as an NJROTC instructor at Westview High School in the Poway Unified School District and two years as an NJROTC Area Manager.

Outgoing Commanding Officer Marisa Houry, a cadet lieutenant, has been replaced by Rafael Carrillo, also a cadet lieutenant, and Outgoing Executive Officer Jacob Mask, a cadet lieutenant commander, has been replaced by Danny Lopez, a cadet lieutenant.

Cadet Lt. Rafael Carrillo’s parents, Maria and Angel Carrillo, pin their son’s new position as Commanding Officer on his uniform during the Ramona NJROTC’s Change of Command Ceremony.

Julie Gallant

Houry is enlisting in the California National Guard and plans to apply for an ROTC college scholarship in 2020. Mask will be attending University of California Davis with a Navy ROTC scholarship this fall.

Houry said she enjoyed working with everyone during her tenure and plans to come back to visit them next year.

Cadet Lt. Danny Lopez carries the flag while being installed as the new Executive Officer of the Ramona NJROTC. Beside him is outgoing Executive Officer Jacob Mask and Ramona Unified School District Trustee Kim Lasley.

Julie Gallant

“Every single one of you made this year amazing,” Houry said. “I greatly enjoyed it. We all worked together to make our dreams come true. Hopefully, I’ll see more people on the drill team. Stay motivated – don’t lose your motivation.”

Other leaders being replaced in the Bulldog Company are Command Master Chief Cody Glazewski being replaced by Cadet Davis Maroush; Operations Officer Cadet Michael Grato being replaced by Cadet Eryn Tretera; and Community Service Officer Cadet Gavin Roche being replaced by Cadet Alec Fernandez.